Congratulations to Nancy Price, who won the Best of Show at International Quilt Festival 2014!    It is a stunning quilt!

On This Winter Day, by Nancy Prince

And here’s Nancy doing her happy dance!  I am so happy for her.  What an amazing amount of work went into this masterpiece!

Nancy Prince Doing the Happy Dance

Stay tuned.  More posts to follow!

What more could one ask for than the perfect retreat center, the best classroom ever and an amazing store right across the parking lot?  And, best of all, we had 3.5 beautiful days together.  This class was one of the most stimulating I have ever taught.  Check out these designs in progress.

Gail Barnett Design

The first day students worked on drawing their designs, after working through some design exercises to help them become familiar with the various fillers that are used most frequently. Above, Gail Barnett came to class with the idea to make a Celtic knot.  In this image you can see the pieced flying goose strips overlaid atop her drawing. Gail used a 20 Fat Quarter pack of Starr Designs hand-dyed fabric to achieve the rainbow run.

Linda Neal at her sewing area in the classroom at The Main House

Each student had three full tables to themselves in the brightly lit classroom at The Main House at Creations.

Denise Williams Star

It’s always the quiet students who breeze along.  By day two of class, Denise Williams had already completed this original design compass which will become the center medallion in a larger quilt for “Stars and Stripes” for the Quilts of Valor Project to donate patriotic quilts returning military men and women.

Francine Doyle Design

Fran Doyle, one of two Aussies in this enthusiastic class, was working on a setting sun with a Pointy Dude border across the top of her design.

Pat Corcoran Design

Pat Corcoran was inspired by the bright print with the colorful circles.  She used two different pieces of a commercially dyed gradation fabric for her color run.  As expected, no one finished their designs in class, but each student was well on their way.

Mary Allen Design

Mary Allen created this asymmetric star and was auditioning fabrics for the surrounding border.

Marie Robinson Design

Marie Robinson was the other Aussie student. The above image shows the mirror image created via paper foundation piecing techniques. Marie and Fran, both temporary Houstonians and close friends, were charming and fun to be around, with entertaining stories about life in Western Australia.

Linda Arnold Design

In Linda Arnold’s design above, it is easy to see the paper design as it developed in fabric.  The finished quilt top is always a mirror image of the drawing unless one works to reverse the design.

Kate Premeaux Design

Kate Premeuax, a former art teacher, drew an ambitious design that will become a triptych. It will be three separate quilts that all share an overriding theme.   I can’t wait to see this and all the other quilts that will come from this class.

Additionally, I have several new friends.  We are all meeting for dinner one night at Massa’s, one of my favorite Houston restaurants, during International Quilt Festival next week.  So much fun these classes are.  If you have a chance to take a multi-day workshop, I highly recommend The Main House at Creations.  Check out their upcoming schedule.

Thank you Barbara Quinby, Julie Milam and Kathy Thompson for making this trip possible, for having such a wonderful shop and retreat center, and for your wonderful hospitality!

Now, I am off to Paducah, to teach another three day class at the National Quilt Museum.  Paducah, City of Crafts and Folk Art, here I come!

I had visited Creations several years ago as part of a brief tour when I was teaching nearby.  With only a short while to visit the shop, I had little idea what I missed.  Now, however, I was right across the parking lot for 4 full days.  Four wonderful days in which to explore and create!  After all that’s what Creations, owned by Julie Milam and Kathy Thompson, is all about. They established the shop in 1978 and have specialized in fabric for quilters and sewing enthusiasts for the past 36 years!  And, what a job they do!  It must be Heaven in a Quilted World!

Creations at Kerrville

Kathy and Julie remodeled a Victorian House right on Main Street in Kerrville, TX, about 60 miles outside of San Antonio.  With 20,000 residents, one might wonder how they manage to make it.  Stay tuned and you will see!  It is wonderment from the very second one steps inside the doors and is immediately greeted by a smiling and helpful staff member.  Then, there is the FABRIC!  OH, so much FABRIC!

Kaffe Fassett Fabrics

Each room in the Victorian House is filled with treasures, and each room has a style all its own.  This particular room held a selection of Kaffe Fassett fabrics, which are nice.  But what you should notice are the tiny little Fat Quarter shelves at each end row of bolts.  All throughout the store, each fabric section has its very own stack of Fat Quarters. And the Fat Quarters are of the same fabrics that are available on the bolts, not end cuts of fabrics no longer available.  What a huge difference that made!  My students and I could sample all the fabrics by pulling a selection of Fat Quarters!  Oh, my!  This was looking dangerous.

More Cottons and More Fat Quarters

Everywhere there were bolts, there were Fat Quarters.  My students and I walked back and forth across that parking lot many times each day, each time finding more treasures. Sometimes most of my students were in the shop and not in the classroom!   I learned that every single time a new bolt of fabric arrives, the staff cuts Fat Quarters for the mini-shelves.  Thus, all the Fat Quarters have mates that are in full bolt mode.

More Cool Fat Quarter Arrangements

And, the staff, many of whom have been there 20 years or more, were especially helpful!  While we were perusing the bolts, our sales assistant made this nice arrangement of Fat Quarters to match!  Definitely Dangerous Territory!

Student, Kate Premeaux, buys Fat Quarters

Kate Premeaux found this terrific purple and lime green geometric print (in the background) and wanted fabrics to complement it.  Look what we found – a whole rainbow run in Fat Quarters.  By the way, in case you were wondering, Creations was packed with customers all day, every day.  The license plates of the cars in the parking lot read like a Who’s Who of different state, ranging from Florida to Oregon!  It is clear that Creations is a Destination Quilt Shop.

Rainbow Run on Counter

I got this great idea to make a Rainbow Run for myself, not to sew with, but to use in my Color and Contrast in Quilting class.  What fun I had pulling fat quarters! All of the cutting tables were full with crowds around each one, so there wasn’t anywhere to spread out and colorize my array of Fat Quarters, except for the counter in front of the cash registers!  I arrayed.

Making the Rainbow Run

Because there is such a wide selection, I was able to have a lot of fun playing.  Gail Barnett, another student, wandered over to take a photo of the Rainbow Run.  And then .  . .

Mine All Mine

Susie Moore, another student, wandered through the door.  She said, “Oh, my!  Did you do that?  OHHHHHH!”  I asked if she’d like to have one of the Rainbow Runs and, of course, one went home with her.  If you are in my Color Class at Quilt Festival in Houston this year, we will practice working the Rainbow Run with the Fat Quarters I brought home.

And Creations?  Well, they are probably busy cutting more Fat Quarters because they were darned near out by the time we left!!!! If you are anywhere near this shop, be sure to stop by to play with their Fat Quarters .  .  . and more!

Tonight I find myself in a wondrous ~10,000 square foot, quilter’s dream palace.  It’s called The Main House at Creations, in Kerrville, TX.

The Main House in Kerrville

Tomorrow morning, I get to sew in the most amazing classroom ever, stitching the binding on a queen-sized quilt in spacious splendor while I await the arrival of my students for the next 3.5 days.

Creations

Furthermore, The Main House is right across the parking lot from Creations, one of the best quilting shops ever!

The Main House Studio

Check out the classroom- studio! Each student has – not just 1/2 table shared with a tablemate, but three entire tables to themselves, and a fabulous comfy chair to boot!  I cannot wait to teach in this classroom.  But wait, there’s more wonderment.

Dining Room

A spacious dining room sits to one side of the main floor, and during organized retreats, all food is provided.  The coolest thing ever is that you and your friends can rent this spacious retreat house for your own retreat.  What could be better!

Upstairs Lounge

Upstairs, there’s a nifty little lounge, where I sit now, typing this post!

Owners, Julie Milam and Kathy Thompson, have gathered some classic pieces to add to the decor, and created a comfortable and colorful feel to each room.

Poppy Room

The Main House sleeps 24 people in 6 guest rooms and 9 bathrooms!  Each room is decorated with a different theme, and all rooms are named after Texas cities.

Cowgirl

Julie told me that she and Kathy fell in love with this painting, and it became the centerpiece of one of the bedrooms.

Cowboy Boots

Bench and quilt

One of the rooms is decorated in Tres Chic in pastel colors.

Pastel Room

Although tonight I am the only guest, I can imagine the fun that will begin tomorrow!  Next time you and your friends are looking for a retreat facility, be sure to put The Main House on the top of your list!  One group travels all the way from Alaska to spend a winter week here, stitching away in the Texas sunshine.

This post wraps up the images I took of competition quilts at the AQS Chattanooga Quilt Week.  The quilts in all categories were definitely a cut above the norm.  And, as I said in my first post on this show, the detail and volume of quilting that made for such a dramatic display.  This category had only a few entries and they exemplify the clean, clear lines of the modern style.

Red Rectangle, by Judy Mercer Tescher, Pendleton, IN

The quilting in Red Rectangle definitely sets this quilt apart.  By Judy Mercer Tescher, this is a stunningly graphic design.

Keep It Simple, by Jodi Robinson, Enon Valley, PA

Jodi Robinson wrote that she wanted to create a very simple quilt with good visual impact.  Note the amount of quilting that makes this quilt so richly textured.

Dresden Daisies, by Kimberley Einmo, Manassas, VA

Dresden Daisies, by Kimberley Einmo, was actually entered in the wall quilt category, although it certainly fits the Modern Style.  I am guessing that, because she had two entries in the AQS Chattanooga show, that she had to enter one in a category other than “Modern”.  Dresden Daisies is a graphically modern twist on a traditional pattern. Beautiful!

Fire and Ice, by Kimberly Einmo, Manassas VA

Fire and Ice, also by Kimberly Einmo won “Best of Modern” quilts at the show!  It is a stunner!

Also at AQS Chattanooga, some interesting special exhibits featured interesting and amazing quilts.  I will show those in the coming posts as well as a few photos from my classes!  I am so glad that I could participate in this AQS show!

Dang!  So many great quilts and they couldn’t all get ribbons!  This particular category, Wall Quilts, is  without doubt the most competitive category of all.  Enjoy tonight’s selection.  First, I have one leftover from last night in the traditional category.

Barion Cut Saphires, by Linda Barrett, Lexington, SC

Elegant in the simplicity of design, the quilting and use of embellishments make Barion Cut Sapphires a true gem.

Barion Cut Saphires -detail

Here’s some of the amazing detail that does not show in the full view of the quilt.

Grief, by Sandy Curran, Newport News, VA

I particularly liked the emotion evident in this quilt by Sandy Curran.  Grief is part of her series on human emotions.  Sandy believes that if the eyes feel alive and convey emotion, the work is successful.  It is beautifully done and certainly embodies emotion.

Nosey Neighbors, by Sherrie Cahill, Madison, AL

Nosey Neighbors by Sherrie Cahill is unbearably cute and a masterpiece of raw edge applique.  I love the well executed whimsy of this charmer.

So Much Life in a Tiny Seed, by Sharon L. Schlotzhauer, Castle Rock, CO

Sharon Schlotzhauer’s entry is so well designed and the color placement so masterful, that this quilt just draws one into it. There’s so much going on here and yet it blends perfectly and reflects the theme.  She says, ” This quilt is a celebration of God’s glorious creation.  It colorfully symbolizes the wondrous capacity for every living things to reproduce from just a tiny seed.

Hoola Hoop Poodle, by V’Lou Oliveira, Norman, OK

What whimsy there is in Hoola Hoop Poodle!  It is sometimes difficult to masterfully present a humorous subject and V’Lou Oliviera has a charmer in this quilt.

A Simple Touch, by Pat Rolie, Tulahoma, TN

“A mother’s simple touch can comfort, soothe a pain, express love and communicate her commitment,” says Pat Rolie about this lovely quilt.  The emotion is evident in the presentation of this design and execution of this quilt.

I Have My Eye On You, by Lily Kangas, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

Another whimsical winner.  What a fun quilt this is!  I always enjoy quilts that feature animals.

Adagio, by Dianne S. Hire and Pat LaPierre, Northport, ME

This image does not do justice to this masterful quilt by Dianne Hire and Pat LaPierre.  Dianne’s take on Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber is that it is painfully sad, yet sumptuously beautiful. Dianne’s Adagio took 17 years to create and corresponds to Barber’s sad nuances.  It is an especially masterful quilt.

M.s Lantana, by Mary Ramsey Keasler, Cleveland, TN

Lastly, for tonight at least, Ms. Lantana by Mary Ramsey Keasler is exemplary in creative piecing  and color.   I had taken another detail image but it wasn’t in focus so I cannot share the incredible detail of this quilt.  It is an amazing piece.

Stay tuned.   There is more – so much more!

The wall quilts at this show were outstanding!  To me, it was the amount of and detail of quilting, in addition to the creative designs that set these apart from more average cousins.  With the advent of longarm machines, just about every quilt, even those quilted by hand are heavily and intricately quilted.  I still remember back to the 1980s when I purchased my first unbonded batting from Mountain Mist.  The batting said it needed to be quilted no more than 2″ apart.  At that time, I could not even imagine quilting that closely together.  Today, some of the quilts have no more than 1/4″ between quilting lines.

I hope you enjoy this selection as much as I do.  Some were prize winners while others are quilts that I found really interesting.  BTW, there were 57 quilts entered in Wall Quilt – Art.  So, If you are wondering about the competition, it is really stiff in this category!

Wandering ‘Round my World, by Beth Schillig, Columbus, OH

You have likely already seen this masterpiece by Beth Schillig.  It has won awards throughout the country and was judged to be the Best Wall Quilt at AQS Chattanooga.

The wall quilt categories, traditional and innovative/art, were an amazing array of diversity, never-ending eye candy for quilters!

If They Were in P.E.I., by Hiroko Miyama Chofu City, Tokyo, Japan

Hiroko used Cynthia England’s picture piecing and original precision applique techniques.

The Shell Collector, by Bethanne Nemesh, Allentown, PA

The Shell Collector was one amazing piece of work and design!  Bethanne Nemesh, used silk dupioni and her designs were inspired by a perfect beach day.  All motifs were free drawn and free-motion quilted from her own photography.

The Shell Collector – Detail

Upper Body Workout IMproved, by Laura Trenbeath, Pavillion, WY

I found this quilt by Laura Trenbeath to be fascinating.  It is a whole-cloth quilt done on black fabric and entirely stitched with gold metallic thread.  According to the description, she has never before used metallic thread and wanted to try it out! Amazing!

Upper Body Workout Improved – detail view

She then used metallic brass studs to embellish the top.  Another incredibly impressive quilt!

Twisted Sisters, by Pam Clark, Bogue Chitto, MS

Pam Clark’s vibrant use of color spoke to her expertise of color knowledge.  Although this is a traditional design, I found her colors made this quilt dramatic.

Red Velvet, by Lisa H. Calle, Pottstown, PA

Wow!  Red and white with a touch of gray!  Add in some of the most detailed quilting ever seen and it all works together in this amazing quilt.  I just loved this one by Lisa H. Calle!

Red Velvet – detail view 1

Red Velvet – detail view 2

That’s all for tonight!  Check back tomorrow for the rest of the wall quilts that I photographed.